Take a New Oath with These Free, Experimental Rules for D&D’s Paladin Class

Share:

Dungeons & Dragons has released new, experimental rules for the Paladin, offering even more options particularly for Paladins who don’t have the standard Lawful Good alignment. In this release, two new oath options are provided; one for the conquering paladin who takes no prisoners, and the other for Oathbreakers who have turned their back to the deity they originally dedicated themselves to. Let’s break them down.

The Oath of Conquest

The moniker hell knights perfectly encapsulates just what kind of paladin takes the Oath of Conquest. Skull crushing, conquering, intimidating, and inclined to slaughter for the sake of bringing order to the world, this paladin is a fantastic option for the player interested in playing a Lawful paladin who is Neutral at best. The tenets this oath–Douse the Flame of Hope, which is a directive to win so handily in battle that your enemies wouldn’t dare think to oppose you again, and Rule with an Iron Fist, which channels Machiavellian notions of rulership–let Paladins accept a Draconian style rule and the killing of innocents to preserve order.

Abilities from this oath cause fear and give the paladin an edge in combat, making them more resilient, able to cause fear, and more likely to land crits. Not only will one don an iron fist when playing this oath, but that fist will absolutely be covered blood.

Oath of Treachery

As all things are possible in D&D, so too can a chaotic neutral paladin find an oath. Unsurprisingly, this oath is to himself. While the DM’s guide has an option for Oathbreaker Paladins, the Oath of Treachery offers additional options that don’t just make for an evil paladin, but rather one who clearly has some breakup issues with their deity and is so jaded they’re turned off by finding a new god to whom they’d dedicate their work. They have no tenets and their power and safety are their only concerns.

Beyond offering really interesting roleplaying options, this paladin gains benefits in combat that reinforce their duplicitous background and their ability to invoke treachery among their enemies.

Chaotic neutral party members are always a little fun to have (provided you’re always keeping an eye out for a dagger in your back) but seeing a proper paladin go Chaotic Neutral seems like nothing but a hoot.

What do you think of these new Paladin Oaths? Let us know in the comments!

Featured & Blog Image Credits: Wizards of the Coast (D&D and Magic: The Gathering)